Many types of power tools are subject to periodic maintenance and calibration to ensure proper performance. The reliable operation of power tools in an organized manufacturing setting is important to ensure consistent manufacturing workflow. Furthermore, the accuracy of power tool operation is often critical to ensure the reliability of the final manufactured good.
Typically, power tools are subject to maintenance and calibration procedures at fixed, scheduled time intervals. However, the need for maintenance and calibration is most often driven by actual tool usage. For operational scenarios with predictable tool usage, the simple passing of time may be a reasonable approximation of actual tool usage. However, for tools subject to intermittent and irregular use, fixed, scheduled maintenance intervals are likely to be an inaccurate measure of actual tool use, and may lead to either inadequate or excessive maintenance.
Improvements to systems for estimating actual usage of a power tool and communicating an indication of the actual tool usage without interfering with the operation of the tool are desired.